


You're Gonna Destroy Me

by DeceasedRaven



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:14:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21628504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeceasedRaven/pseuds/DeceasedRaven
Summary: Quiz Bowl AU
Relationships: Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick
Comments: 6
Kudos: 155





	You're Gonna Destroy Me

**Author's Note:**

> I do not pretend to know anything about Quiz Bowl beyond the bare minimum. I have taken many liberties, so please just humor me!!

TK knows he's on the team for one reason and one reason only. He's never been bitter about it. At least he has a personality, unlike Claude who reads articles with titles like "Top 50 Civil War battles in order of highest land elevation to lowest". And at least he doesn't have a massively overinflated ego like Carter (who, admittedly, is a child genius). 

So, he's comfortable just chugging along, contributing where he can, until shit hits the fan when he blows his cool and destroys his team in the process. 

But even after it happens, he maintains it isn't his fault. Claude gives him his "disappointed, but not surprised" dad face and asks, "So who the fuck is responsible, then?"

TK heaves a breath, feels his chest grow tight and his ears turn red despite his best efforts to suppress all the horrible physical side effects of the man in question. 

"That motherfucker Nolan Patrick". 

//

Three months ago, TK didn't even know Nolan's name. Sure they ran into each other at competition now and again, but he sort of just labelled him "Obnoxious Pretty Boy" in his head and moved on. He had never spoken to him, but knew for a fact that he was obnoxious because he always won every individual award presented, every fucking conference. Like, your team's not winning, but you're gunning for individual awards? Obnoxious.

But this year is different. It's districts and for once TK feels really good about the team. He knows the team feels good, too, even though Claude gets mad anytime one of them starts talking too much shit about their competitors. They pull up to the local community college hosting, and TK can't help but feel a little giddy reading the "Gritty District's 20th Quiz Bowl Competition" banner hanging out front.

They destroy the first two teams they face. Even Claude loosens up after their second win and starts making fun of Tyler's bowtie, which "fuck you, G, I can tell when you're super jealous". TK tries not to feel too offended by how loud Claude's snort is. 

As soon as the third team comes out, TK knows they're in trouble. OPB (Obnoxious Pretty Boy) is the first one out and TK watches, mouth open, as he flips his hair and slouches to his seat. He's still kind of staring when G shoves him toward their table and hisses, "Keep it together" in his ear. TK goes violently red and refuses to look up until the embarrassment fades. He has to focus. OPB's team is actually good this year and he will NOT be beaten by someone who looks like he gets sucked off beneath bleachers then writes angsty poetry about it.

It starts swimmingly. G answers two history questions right off the bat and Carter slam dunks a ridiculous one about the periodic table. TK even gets one in his wheelhouse and buzzes in to say "Jackie Robinson" as soon as he hears "Brooklyn Dodgers". He turns to smirk at OPB but frowns when he sees how unperturbed he looks. Is he- Is he laughing? He's definitely at least chuckling under his breath and TK wants to punch him in his perfect face. Doesn't he know his team is getting destroyed? 

OPB buzzes in two seconds into the next question to answer "Macbeth". Which is right. TK rolls his eyes in disgust. Whatever. Fucking nerd. Just wait until the next one, it's gonna be an art question and Yasmine destroys at those-

OPB gets it right. TK attempts to burn through his head with his eyes, which doesn't work, but does have the unfortunate side effect of making him notice his name tag. Jesus Christ, even his name is douchey. Nolan Patrick. Doesn't really roll off the tongue, does it?

TK is so busy contemplating how weird Nolan's name is (Patrick Nolan makes a lot more sense conceptually, if you ask him) that he doesn't tune in until it's too late. He hears Nolan answer, as if in slow motion, "Philadelphia Flyers", and then reality comes rushing violently back in. Carter is looking at him with murder in his eyes, G has his head in his hands, and Nolan... Nolan is smiling at him like the cat who got the fucking cream and TK wants to run out of the room and never think about him, or this, or Quiz Bowl ever again. He never gives up sports questions. Ever. It's what he's there for (that, and the occasional pop culture question they throw in because he knows his Miley, okay?). And Nolan, with one stupid question, destroys his years-long streak and his teammates are going to murder him for it. 

It's not really surprising that they lose. All is (mostly) forgiven by his team, though, because their record is still good enough for a second place finish and top two go to Regionals. The realization that this is the furthest they've ever made it washes over TK and he thinks that maybe, just maybe he can put the embarrassment of earlier behind him, when he's tripped up going off stage. He manages to keep his balance by clutching at his tripper and TK looks up (and up and up) to complain to the guy, who just so happens to be Nolan. TK yanks away his hands, and Nolan evil smiles the same way he had earlier. "Congrats on second place," he says as he tucks his (overly long, greasy, definitely not tempting enough to want to run his fingers through) hair behind his ears. "Pretty good for someone who doesn't know how to read."

TK sees red and it's only the heroic combined effort of G and Yasmine that get him to leave the theater. Carter attempts to stare threateningly in Nolan's direction but it has exactly zero effect because the motherfucker is too busy sashaying on stage to accept his team award, the MVP award, and the most "industrious" player award. Yeah fucking right. If Nolan has ever put honest effort into anything TK will eat his left hand. 

TK is the last to be dropped off, but he and G sit in his driveway for a while as TK waits for what he knows is coming.

"So..." G says, rubbing a hand over his beard. 

TK groans. "Please don't make me talk about it," he pleads, eyes squeezed shut because disappointing G is like disappointing his dad, but worse somehow. 

Claude just stares at him for a while, before he sighs.

"Okay, I won't. But I swear to God, if it affects the team again..." 

"It won't," TK promises, and by God he means it. "You have my word."

Claude nods and unlocks the doors. "I believe you. And you know, there's no shame in..."

TK leaps out of the car with a sort of spin/flip that would impress Simone Biles. "LALALA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU," he yells as he runs to safety. 

Definitely worse than talking to his Dad. 

//

It's a defining moment of the season, for TK and the team. They pull out a first place win at Regionals and TK decides to count it as a success even though he spends the whole time wondering where Nolan's team is (it's apparently some freak organizational error that they're in the same district but not the same region and TK tries not to be too irrationally angry about it all). 

They put up an excellent performance at States. Nolan is there, and they eventually go up against his team, but TK is laser-focused the entire time and answers a question about 1984 that surprises even himself. Maybe not using English class as his personal nap time had some benefits after all. TK doesn't want to hope they got first, even though it seems like a distinct possibility. But of course, it doesn't happen like that. They're called second, and TK cranes his neck searching for the first place winners, but he shouldn't have bothered because there's Nolan, waving as he accepts the award like some damn pageant queen. Claude hustles TK out before things can escalate, but Nolan somehow manages to get to the lobby before them. He's lounging against the wall, looking not lonely exactly, but definitely subdued for someone who just won first. TK spends like .003 milliseconds thinking "he looks so pretty when he's sad" before Nolan catches sight of him and saunters over, right into his personal bubble.

TK whips around to communicate to G he needs saving, but he's abandoned TK in his hour of need, chatting uselessly to some blonde in the corner. What the fuck, Claude. Only TK gets to be horny at Quiz Bowl tournaments. He's pretty sure it's in the bylaws. 

"Nice work today," Nolan says and Travis slowly swivels back around to try and assess how genuine the comment is. 

TK thinks maybe it is, so although he can't muster up eye contact, he manages a "you too" that he wants to shove back in his mouth as soon as he sees Nolan smirk. So, not sincere at all, then.

"We get it, alright," TK doesn't snap, but doesn't not snap at Nolan. "You won. Go home and jerk off in the mirror about it. Guess you're too good for your own team, huh, couldn't be fucked to celebrate with them-".

TK cuts himself off, but not before it's too late. Nolan's face is cratering in on itself and TK wants to slap himself in the face. Obviously, there's a reason Nolan isn't with his team, dumbass. Clearly, it's something he's sad about it, and TK just made him sadder. And yeah, maybe Nolan's kind of an asshole, but so is TK and his team still loves him, and Nolan deserves that, too, he deserves people who love him, people who appreciate him for who he is, people who go out of their way to make him smile...

TK desperately searches for the words to make it better, but he's unable to do anything but stare at Nolan's devastating face. Nolan awkwardly yanks at his shirt collar and gives him a sort of sad nod before walking off. TK thinks about running after him and tackling him to the ground, and even though that would probably get him banned from any future competition, it's sounding like a better and better idea until G comes over and slaps him in the back. 

"So, what'd I miss, kid?" he asks. "You ask him out yet?"

TK blanches but G keeps going, "He turn you down? Sucks, man, it happens. There are so many fish in the sea, though, buddy, so, so many fish." TK knows G only sounds like this much of an idiot because he's broken out his flask but he wants to dropkick him anyways. 

"Shut the fuck up, G," he says, suddenly bone-weary. "Give me the keys, I'll drive us home."

//

They have to wait until February to get confirmation, but then they do, and holy shit. They're going to Nationals. TK isn't even mad it's in Lincoln, Nebraska, of all places, instead of somewhere cool like Vegas. Whatever. A five day vacation with his best buds? That's some good shit. The fly there Wednesday morning, and TK amuses himself by seeing how many small pieces of paper he can place in napping Carter's hair. He's up to 69 (ha) by the time the plane lands which is definitely a fortuitous start to the trip. 

The hotel they’re staying in isn’t, like, luxury or anything, but it’s definitely the nicest place TK has ever stayed. He, Carter, and Yasmine spend 15 minutes riding up and down the glass elevator. G apprehends them in the lobby and they all file behind him, shamefaced, to get in line for breakfast. TK decides to get three waffles, 14 strips of bacon, and nothing else. The moment is pretty much perfect—scrumptious breakfast, delightful friends—until it’s decidedly ruined by seeing his archnemesis. 

Okay, Nolan Patrick isn’t really his archnemesis, but he is the person who brings TK the most pain, so close enough. All the guilt and embarrassment from last time come flooding back, and TK grasps at possible plans for repairing the damage. Nothing comes to him, so he just sadly gazes at the back of Nolan’s head until Yasmine’s delicate cough yanks him out of his daydreams. He turns to find his whole team looking at him with expressions ranging from disgust (Carter) to pity (G). TK avoids them all and shoves the remaining waffle in his mouth.

“What are you losers waiting around for? This Quiz Bowl competition won’t win itself,” TK says, before stalking off through the lobby’s double doors, like the dramatic motherfucker he is.

//

Day Three. Round Five. It all banks on this. Beat Nolan’s team and they emerge victorious. Lose, and they either eke out a second place finish or fall to third. TK has sweated out of two of his three dress shirts and is doing some deep breathing to avoid the hat trick. G is giving himself a mirror pep talk which is 90% profanity. Carter is doing something terrifying he calls “eye warm-ups” which TK can see no practical purpose for beyond intimidating the opposition. Yasmine is braiding TK’s hair, which she says helps calm her down, but TK suspects she’s doing to help calm him down. None of them deserve Yasmine. An usher comes over to shepard them onstage, and TK, with shaking legs, follows G to his spot. He can barely understand the host’s introduction, he’s too busy looking out into the crowd. Oh god, oh god, there’s so many people out there. So many cameras, too. TK is seconds from hurling all over their table. Despite himself, his eyes wander over to the other team and find Nolan’s staring back at him. TK’s breath catches, and he watches as Nolan gives him a half-nod before turning back to his teammates. Nolan acknowledged him. NOLAN ACKNOWLEDGED HIM. Even after everything, Nolan nodded at him, and TK feels an intense calm wash over him as the game begins.

The competition progresses like a fever dream. Every press of the buzzer fields anticipatory oohs from the crowd which either dissipate into ahhs or culminate in roaring cheers. TK buzzes in early for an obscure tennis question that he’s about 80% sure on, and he holds his breath before the host confirms his answer. Adrenaline bubbles in him like shaken-up champagne and it feels inevitable that he explodes.

From there, it’s a brutal back and forth. G gets one, then Nolan. Carter, then Nolan’s teammate. Nolan, and then Yasmine with a steal. G, then Nolan with a steal. TK, then Carter, then Nolan with a huge bonus win. It continues on like that until the end, when a tie-breaker becomes necessary. Any lingering sense of calm TK is clinging on to implodes when Nolan very deliberately catches his eye and winks. TK has what feels like an aneurysm and then everything becomes clear to him. Nolan knows what the next question is gonna be. He knows it’s gonna be a sports one. He knows he’ll have TK beat, and he knows this next question will be the final nail in the coffin he’s handcrafted and lovingly prepared for TK. But TK refuses to go down without a fight. He clutches onto his buzzer like Rose clung to (Leo’s) raft, and the host has barely formed twelve words before TK’s finger is slamming down.

Everyone waits for his answer with bated breath. Which he totally knows, because this is a sports question, Nolan telegraphed that to him, except it’s not—the host read the words “This number times i is the denominator of the Cauchy integral formula-” and TK apparently blacked out for all of it. His heart sinks, and he is powerless to do anything but watch the clock tick down to zero. The other team is invited to steal, and Nolan looks him dead in the eyes as he answers “2 pi”.

It’s over.

Later, G finds him with his head between his knees in the hotel laundry room. He sits down next to TK and sighs. “Teeks,” he says, and his gentle voice, and his sad, disappointed dad face break something inside of TK.

“It’s not my fault,” he says, uselessly, desperately.

Claude props his chin in his hand to ask, “So who the fuck is responsible, then?”

TK feels tears spring to his eyes. “That motherfucker Nolan Patrick,” he says, softly, so softly.

G stares at him for a couple excruciating seconds. 

“You know what Teeks? We won third, and in my book, that’s a hell of a victory. You may be a colossal idiot, but I know for a fact that none of us were gonna get that question anyways. The rest of us are gonna meet at the bar downstairs 11 sharp, and your ass better be there.” G knocks his fist on TK’s chin and grins at him. “Take a nap, recover, and come join us, yeah?”

TK nods and tries to covertly wipe his eyes, but G is having none of it. 

“I love you, buddy,” he says, and TK manages a smile. 

“I love you too, dad.”

“Shut the fuck up,” G says, as he brushes off his pants and heads out the door. 

//

TK takes G’s advice and heads back to his room for a long shower and a nap. Except he never gets to fall asleep. There’s aggressive thumping and even more aggressive music coming from next door that even ear plugs can’t drown out. TK refuses to cede his naptime to his neighbor’s indiscretions so he heads over (in his just ‘Gone Fishing’ shirt and boxers, whatever) to confront them. He briefly worries that he’s gonna interrupt some wild-ass sex, but thinks “fuck it” and knocks anyways. A muffled voice from within yells “enter”, so TK gingerly does, but is stopped in his tracks by the sight of a shirtless Nolan. Doing push-ups. Jesus, take the wheel. 

“What do you want?” Nolan says without stopping his reps.

TK’s brain is kind of melting, but he eventually manages words. “I’m here, because the music is kind of, you know, loud, and I’m trying to sleep, but you know what, it’s no big deal, just pretend I was never here.” TK makes to flee, but the music abruptly stops and Nolan is saying his name.

“TK. Um, that’s what your friends call you, right?” His cheeks are stained red, and TK wants- He just wants. 

“TK, Teeks, any of the above,” TK says, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice.

“Okay. Um. Sorry, I couldn’t really sleep, so this is what I’ve resorted to.” Nolan fidgets with the pull on his pants and it takes all of TK’s self-control not to stare.

“The adrenaline from a first-place win, huh?” he says. “Congrats, bro. You deserve it.” 

He watches in fascination as Nolan’s blush grows deeper. “I don’t know about that. It was never really a sure thing, and I think it was mostly luck that our team knew what we did.”

TK can’t believe what he’s hearing. “You’re fucking with me, right?" he asks, indignant.

Nolan shuffles his feet and kind of shrugs.

TK takes a step forward. “Maybe the rest of your shitty team needed luck, but you deserve that win,” he says. “You single-handedly carried them on your back for, like, five months. You deserve that win, because you’re the smartest and most amazing person I know.” Oh god, oh god, backtrack, backtrack, what the FUCK are you thinking, Teeks, take it back, but Nolan is looking at him with impossibly large eyes and TK feels himself drown instead.

“TK…” Nolan says and trails off.

“Nolan…” 

“My friends call me Patty,” Nolan says, and TK kisses him.

It doesn’t feel real, at first, after all the months spent thinking about it. But then Nolan threads a hand in his hair and tugs, and TK feels himself crash-land back in his body. He pulls back a little to trace the blush on Nolan’s cheeks.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says, and Nolan smiles, and it’s soft and open and everything, really. TK kisses him again. It’s more urgent this time, Nolan’s hands suddenly everywhere, up under his shirt and over his chest. TK slips it off and revels in the skin-to-skin warmth threatening to burn him alive. Nolan’s fingers catch on TK’s nipple and a high-pitched whine escapes him. “Fuck,” Nolan bites out, and TK all but tackles him to the bed. He slides a leg in between Nolan’s thighs and grinds down. Nolan tilts his neck back and moans, low and devastating, and TK takes advantage to scrape his teeth down his throat. He mouths at his ear, breaths devolving to pants, as Nolan slides his boxers off and gets a hand on him. 

“Patty,” he says. “Nolan, I...” Nolan kisses him and doesn’t stop, lightly teasing with his thumb before circling him, up and down until TK spills over his fingers. TK collapses besides Nolan. He can’t move, much less speak, but he wants to. He wants to say...something. To explain to Nolan, well, all of it, but words are beyond him, so he props himself up on his elbows and moves down the length of Nolan’s body. 

"Can I...?" he asks, hands hovering over Nolan's hips. 

Nolan nods, frantic like a bobblehead, and TK laughs. He slowly, carefully, pulls off Nolan’s sweatpants and bites his lip to hold back every sound he wants to make at the sight of him, hard and flushed on the bed below. TK kisses his hip, barely, before looking Nolan in the eyes as he swallows him down. Nolan groans and gets a hand back in TK’s hair. Who knew it would be all about TK’s hair and not Nolan’s amazing, luscious locks? Next time, TK promises himself, as Nolan’s fingers tighten and yank, and fuck, that’s good. TK reaches back and pushes on the hand cradling his head. Nolan looks down at him, eyes wide, and tentatively at first, but then with confidence, pushes up into TK’s mouth. Nolan guides TK’s head down with both hands, and TK lets him take over, closing his eyes in bliss. It’s so good, and Nolan’s moaning, and TK kind of feels like he could get hard again, and Nolan pulls his head back and comes down his throat. TK swallows, then licks up the rest, tonguing over Nolan until he hisses. TK laughs and sidles back up Nolan’s side.

“Hey, Nolan,” he says. Saying Patty doesn’t feel quite right, yet. Pats, maybe? He’ll work it out, in time.

Nolan cracks open an eye and raises an eyebrow at TK. He’s biting back a smile and something feels so right about this. About them.

“Remember that time you publicly humiliated me not once, but twice, and I fell head over heels for you?” TK says.

“I fell for you the first time we met,” Nolan says, and wait, what?

TK flops down on Nolan’s chest and looks up into his face. “Whatdya mean?” he asks.

“You don’t remember?” Nolan smooths down the hair on TK’s forehead. “It was my first competition, and I was so nervous. I was kind of freaking out in the hallway and ran into you, and you didn’t have to, but you stopped and asked me if I was okay. I told you I was, just nervous, and you looked me in the eyes and said, ‘You? Nervous. No fucking way. You’re gonna destroy them.’ I asked around after and people told me about your, you know, your rep.” Nolan giggles and TK feels his heart skip. “So if I was an asshole after that, it was only because the only thing I wanted to do more than beat you was drag you away and, like, kiss you in a closet or something.”

TK suddenly does remember, how pale Nolan had looked, how young they both had been. He’s grateful for his past self, for being incrementally less stupid then his other selves, and he kisses Nolan high on his cheek.

“See?” he says. “I’m always right. You destroyed the shit out of all of them, but mostly just me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Claude calls TK at 11 on the dot, furious he's not downstairs. Nolan answers the phone, and Claude gets so excited he drops his phone in his beer. He makes TK pay the repair bill.


End file.
